Speaking at Meetings

Members of the public wishing to address a Committee or Sub-Committee on Part I reports contained within the agenda for the meeting shall be given the opportunity to do so subject to:-

(a) the opportunity being extended to one person to speak in support of each agenda item and one person to speak against each agenda item when called to do so by the Chairman;

(b) an indication of the desire to speak on the agenda item being made by the person wishing to address the Committee or Sub-Committee just prior to the meeting and the name supplied to the Committee Manager in attendance (by means of the register), the first person registering to have precedence in the event of more than one person wishing to speak either for or against the agenda item;

(c) each person addressing the Committee or Sub-Committee being limited to three minutes’ speech;

(d) an opportunity being provided for an expression of a contrary view, even though no prior notice has been given, when a member of the public has spoken for or against the item;

(e) in the event of the person having registered to speak on an agenda item not wishing to take up their right to speak on the agenda item because it was deferred, that person will automatically be given the right to speak on the agenda item at the next meeting of the Committee or Sub-Committee;

(f) the Chairman of the meeting having discretion to rule that a person wishing to address the meeting shall not be heard if, in his/her opinion, that issue or the organisation or the person wishing to make representation on that issue has received an adequate hearing.